SAUNDERS: National Public Racket

Now it turns out, even some NPR biggies don't think the
broadcaster should get federal funds.

Now, I am no fan of the smarmy tactics of conservative prankster
James O'Keefe, the guy who pretended he was a pimp in order to
discredit ACORN, the Association of Community Organizations for
Reform Now. If I ever shake his hand by mistake, I'll wash it right
away.

But just as Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has to live with
comments he made on the phone to a left-leaning liar, NPR now has
to live with O'Keefe's tapes. While trying to land a $5 million
donation from the fictitious Muslim Education Action Center Trust,
now-former NPR fundraiser Ron Schiller (no relation to the
president) said NPR would be "in the long run ... better off
without federal funding."

He also said, "In my personal opinion, liberals today might be
more educated, fair and balanced than conservatives." I am sure he
meant that, too.

Lamborn tells me that the O'Keefe videos increase the likelihood
that Washington will cut the CPB cord because the videos show "the
disarray at NPR."

That may be a polite way of saying that the tapes make NPR execs
look like complete frauds ---- the same way they looked when they
very publicly fired Williams. Vivian Schiller said the move had
nothing to do with Williams' regular appearances on the
right-leaning Fox News. Apparently, she believes the American
public is stupid. Could that be because, until very recently, the
American public very generously subsidized her perch?

DEBRA J. SAUNDERS writes for the San Francisco Chronicle.
Contact her at dsaunders@sfchronicle.com. Comment at
nctimes.com/opinion.